| Matheson
will speak at Hyrum's July 4th festivities
By Caresa
Alexander
February 9, 2009 | HYRUM -- Utah Congressman Jim Matheson
will be the patriotic speaker for Hyrum's 4th of July
celebration.
City Councilwoman Stephanie Miller said Matheson had
agreed to the speaking assignment for June 28. Miller
also signed a contract for the fireworks, and received
"two thumbs up" from Mayor Dean Howard when she announced
that a clean-up clause had been hand-written into the
contract. In past years the city has had to clean up
after the fireworks company.
In other business, Curtis Dent, a dairy farm owner
from Richmond, requested Hyrum lease him irrigation
shares for a pivot sprinkler system. Current state law
does not permit the lease of water but a city can sell
the water, just not the share. A bill to lease water
will be in effect January 2011 and allow a city to enter
into a five-year lease. Dent's lease would need to be
extended every five years as he needs a guaranteed lease
for 15 years. The price of the water was not discussed.
The council wanted to review the bill.
"Every one of our enterprise funds reserve are dropping
and we haven't been spending a lot of money... we can't
continue to let it go. I'm afraid we will have to give
up purchasing water if push comes to shove," Mayor Howard
said. "I just can't let this city get in trouble financially."
He said rates will probably be raised on electrical,
water and possibly sewer to break even.
A Web site is being developed for online registration
of Hyrum athletics. Registration is expected to cost
$1 per person and should be ready for the upcoming baseball
season.
Councilmen Paul James and Craig Rasmussen attended
the irrigation board meeting and reported. "Everything
is getting older and needs to be repaired," said James,
referring to a head gate with a stamp of 1918. Rasmussen
suggested the head gates in the ditch be looked at to
prioritize which ones need to be replaced.
Howard said Hyrum City's top priority is a 2 million-gallon
water storage tank. Money from the water utility budget
will fund the design and engineering for the tank.
If Utah receives a stimulus package, Hyrum city will
submit an application to the state for stimulus money.
"If the money becomes available, wouldn't that be a
godsend?" said Howard. Any stimulus money received from
the state could be used to repay the city's water utility.
NW
MS |
